"He's now been to two countries and he's had two countries where he has made a series of fumbles," she said. "He's been fumbling the foreign policy football from country to country.

And there's a threshold question that he has to answer for the American people and that's whether he is prepared to be commander-in-chief," she continued. "As we look to the past events, we know that this raises some questions about his preparedness and we'll see how the rest of his trip goes."

Psaki was referring to what some have seen as Romney's missteps over the last several days in London and Israel.

In London, some saw his answer to a question about the Olympic games as a gaffe.

"You know it's hard to know just how well it will turn out," he said in an interview with NBC News, explaining that issues with a private security contractor and labor issues were "disconcerting." After a meeting with the British prime minister, who himself responded to Romney's remarks, the candidate said he was "very delighted with the prospects of a highly successful Olympic Games."

The episode brought mocking headlines from British newspapers his way.

Days later, a prominent Palestinian leader called out one of Romney's statements in Jerusalem "racist."

Palestinian negotiator Sa'eb Erekat said Romney's "racist statements about the Israeli culture being superior to the Palestinian culture reflect someone who needs to be educated, who needs knowledge." Romney pointed out a wealth disparity between Israel and the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

Psaki's Monday statement - made to reporters on Monday - is the latest in a volley over Romney's foreign trip. On Sunday, Robert Gibbs, a senior adviser to Obama's reelection campaign, said "I think it's clear that voters in this country wonder aloud whether Mitt Romney is ready for the world."

Romney adviser Kevin Madden said Sunday that any gaffes in the campaign would be overshadowed in voters' eyes.

"I don't think that a gaffe or a YouTube moment is really going to make or break this particular election," he said on ABC News' "This Week." "I think it's going to be about the direction of the country, how we rebuild the economy, how we continue to have a stronger national security posture around the globe."

But on Monday, Psaki had a different perspective: "I think 'foreign policy fumble' has a nice ring to it."

soundoff(178 Responses)

Romney could run the opposing field and score for the opponent and I still would not vote for Obama..crazy as a bedbug...scrub my remark to ensure the media covers for the clown

July 30, 2012 09:12 pm at 9:12 pm |

Mitt the nit witt

Mitt is not "fumbling" the ball. He is just handing it to team Obama and letting them run with it. How does this cardboard cutout clown even know how to put his own pants on? If he were elected president he would immediatly have the middle east at war with Isreal again... because he equates a countries wealth as a sign of greatness. It shows he feels that money talks and losers walk. If the american middle class expects this guy to be looking out for their best interest they are sadly mistaken.. middle class is just another word he uses to describe his loser underlings.

July 30, 2012 09:15 pm at 9:15 pm |

NotRepublican

Why should Romney's performance overseas be any different than his fumbling performance here? At least he's consistent, right?

July 30, 2012 09:17 pm at 9:17 pm |

HendersonNV

What, Romney "didn't build that"/

July 30, 2012 09:21 pm at 9:21 pm |

Paul Williamson

This guy is not ready for prime time – his handlers will direct him to get us into our third (Syria) and fourth (Iran) war in 10 years, and then they complain about the huge deficit -their solution will be cut social security and medicare in half for those who earn $150,000 or less a year. Wake up America, before the right wing turn us into serfs and slaves (again).

July 30, 2012 09:22 pm at 9:22 pm |

optimistmiser

Lets just let the economy do the talking. Everything else is just political hot air.

I am heard that cmte says secruity leak out of presdient abama at white house

July 30, 2012 09:26 pm at 9:26 pm |

optimistmiser

If Obama and his staff are so smart and capable why haven't they been able to fix anything yet?

July 30, 2012 09:27 pm at 9:27 pm |

optimistmiser

Factories and jobs have continued to move overseas throughout the Obama presidency. Democrats had total control 1st 2 years and did nothing about this.

July 30, 2012 09:28 pm at 9:28 pm |

optimistmiser

If 200 billion in Bush tax cuts is good for the economy per support for this by Republicans and Democrats then an additional 47 billion in tax cuts that the Republicans support should be even better. Tax cuts for all.

Let Mit Romney be informed that, Providence has not designed him to be president of America. He has the nomination because the GOP did not have any credible candidate. Secondly,God knows his heart & mind that he (Romney )is a pretender who would do anything to get what he wants. God cannot be mocked, Mr Romney.

July 30, 2012 09:32 pm at 9:32 pm |

optimistmiser

Tax cuts are Keynesian stimulus when no spending cuts of equal measure take place.

July 30, 2012 09:32 pm at 9:32 pm |

really

If Romney seems to have fumbled, somebody along the line gave him some help. There was a unprepared adviser somewhere in his life. If he seems to make mistakes—he didn't do that. Somebody else made that happen

July 30, 2012 09:39 pm at 9:39 pm |

nolimits3333

Obama has a degree in international relations from Columbia and has been commander in chief for four years.

Romney fled to France to avoid military service in Vietnam.

Who has more foreign policy experience?

July 30, 2012 09:42 pm at 9:42 pm |

usman

Us Canadians can only keep wondering, Why are so many Americans so stupid????

I sneer at Psaki's childish attempts to define these moments as missteps. Everybody in their sane mind would have described the British Olympics preparation as disconcerting, particularly since they were asking a former Games organizer. As for the "Palestine"/Israel cultural difference and its subsequent influence on prosperity, what's to question? How prosperous was "Palestine" before the so-called "occupation"?

July 30, 2012 09:46 pm at 9:46 pm |

Jt_flyer

Will some please explain to Mr. Romney that Iran and Syria border Europe (yes turkey is part of Europe). It's a European problem. Europe's always arrogant untill it's time to open their military checkbook. Deep pockets .... and short arms.

He said those things and so he'll have to pay the price. It's not the Obama campaign that couldn't keep it's mouth in check. It's Romney. And the more gaffes he makes the worse it will get. Bibi will like Romney better but gets more from Obama. He's not stupid.

July 30, 2012 09:49 pm at 9:49 pm |

Desmond, a Canadian

My dear US citizens, there never was a doubt that this Rawmoney person is totally unfit to be President. He is really out of his league. Sorry to say this, but the segment of your population that thinks otherwise is EXCEPTIONALLY stupid. But then, that could be a very large segment which, after all, chose Bush – twice!

July 30, 2012 10:03 pm at 10:03 pm |

TakingItBack

OBAMA 2012
The last thing we want is a guy like Mitt Romney... a straight shooter who calls it like he sees it. We want four more years of hope and change!

*sarcasm 'off'

July 30, 2012 10:10 pm at 10:10 pm |

bkgrandma

The British got it right when they named him "Mitt the Twit". How can any intellegent voter even think of voting for this man?

July 30, 2012 10:34 pm at 10:34 pm |

Johnson

What he did in London was downright rude. The British are tense enough without being told they are not ready for their big event. In Israel he alienated the Palestinians and probably most Israelis who are not in the Likud Party. His foreign relations comments were inappropriate for a candidate for the Presidency. He was actually trying to make Obama look bad. It is disappointing but not unexpected.

July 30, 2012 10:34 pm at 10:34 pm |

T. E. Lawrence O. A.

Romney sounds as SHALLOW AS SARAH PALIN when it comes for foreign policy – dangerous fumbles when dealing with the rest of the world. What is he thinking?

July 30, 2012 10:39 pm at 10:39 pm |

Will Completeit

With 100millions in IRA, does he care he fumbles or not.
Has anyone read the book "$100 millions in IRA", how did he get it, was IRS sleeping?

July 30, 2012 10:53 pm at 10:53 pm |

tafugate

i don't care if mitt is a complete idiot. president mitt will send each and every one of the enemy combatants encroaching our borders and their bastages back from whence they came.